A week after announcing WWE was not picking up his contract, R-Truth made a shocking return at Money In The Bank last night. His appearance followed an outpouring of frustration and anger from fans who repeatedly chanted “We Want Truth” on Raw and SmackDown and took to social media to complain. The surprise moment got an all-time crowd pop from those in attendance and an overwhelmingly positive response on X, but it sounds like the details behind the scenes weren’t quite so smooth.
Let’s back up and set up the ring real quick for those who aren’t totally in the loop. R-Truth (real name Ron Killings) has been a mainstay side character on WWE’s roster since 2008. He’s occasionally won titles and fought in big moments, but for the most part, he’s been an amusing side character who pops in for a few minutes on weekly programming, often forgetting the names of other characters or accidentally booking himself in matches with opponents he can’t possibly beat.
Last weekend, in an absolute shock, Truth announced on social media that he was informed his contract wasn’t being picked up. His fellow wrestlers in the WWE locker room responded with dozens of social media posts celebrating his work over the years, and fans dropped tens of thousands of tributes. They also vocalized a lot of anger, especially after reports emerged that Truth was informed he wasn’t being renewed, not by Triple H or higher ups in the company but allegedly instead over the phone by someone in talent relations.
Most of that anger was directed toward WWE’s new parent company TKO. Rumors emerged that his release was a cost-cutting measure, as despite being a side character, his contract was pretty hefty because of his years of service. That didn’t sit well with fans who have seen TKO steadily raise ticket prices and put advertisements all over the ring, all while bragging about record gates and lofty profits.
Initially after R-Truth’s surprise appearance last night, many fans jumped to the conclusion that the entire thing was planned from the beginning. Many assumed Truth wasn’t ever actually released and this entire thing was a set-up, or work in wrestling terms, to give fans a fun moment. WWE Head of Creative Triple H said during the press conference following Money In The Bank that it was “all part of the show,” but according to several outlets, that’s not the case. The typically reliable Fightful dropped an extensive report on what happened, and to be frank, it sounds like a behind the scenes mess.
The site claims Killings was informed of his release, made the social media post and started having conversations with other promotions and independent bookers. He allegedly wasn’t a happy camper and supposedly neither were many of his co-workers in WWE, who were especially unhappy about how it went down. After it became obvious how outraged fans were, WWE reportedly had several people reach out. They were allegedly ignored, which prompted WWE President Nick Khan to get involved. He worked out a deal with Truth himself, who later confirmed on social this wasn't planned from the beginning.
I have no idea what the full story is or what actually went down. I suspect there aren’t a ton of people outside of Truth and Khan who really know, but regardless, this should be a lesson to WWE. Cuts and tough decisions about whether to pick up contracts are a part of the wrestling business. R-Truth is 53 years old. If he makes a lot of money, I understand why WWE didn’t want to give him a five year contract. This is a business, and I don’t begrudge WWE or TKO for trying to make a healthy profit. They should.
But future Hall of Famers and performers who have been mainstay parts of WWE programming for a decade or more should be treated differently. That doesn’t mean they should be guaranteed a huge contract for life, but they deserve to be treated like legends. Guys like Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Sheamus, The Miz and R-Truth have made the company a lot of money and have a lifelong bond with wrestling fans. At some point, their careers are going to be over, but it’s in the best interest of WWE and the performers to at least offer them some kind of arrangement.
Be proactive. Offer them less money to come back and do less dates. Offer them a chance to work on the pre-show at PPVs. Figure out a way to keep working together. If they decide to pass and continue wrestling full-time over at AEW, TNA or somewhere else, that’s fine. Once again, you don’t need to offer them a lengthy contract at the highest salary they’ve ever made, but let them choose between staying and going. Don’t kick them out the door. They deserve better.
As a fan, I’m elated to see R-Truth back in WWE. It’s where he belongs. I’m also elated to see WWE listen and try to make things right. I hope they take notes for the next time a legend’s deal is up.
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